WGI Percussion Final Scores - Drum Solo · PDF fileWGI Percussion Final Scores & Recap got...

Volume #3

2004 WGI Champions:Music City Mystique

WGI PercussionFinal Scores& Recap

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INDOOR MARCHING • DRUM CORPS • PIPEBAND • FIELD PERCUSSION

2004 WGI Champions:Music City Mystique

WGI PercussionFinal Scores& Recap

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Ask a PRO:Sean Vega

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9 WGI Finals Recap by Greg Anderson

12 WGI 2004 Percussion Final Scores

15 2004 WGI Champions: Music City Mystique Executive Director Don Click Interview by Ben Coulter

22 Young Guns: Hunter Stricklin Music City Mystique’s Center Snare by Ben Coulter

26 Teaching Music by Steve Stockmal

29 got samples? A review and comparison:

Virtual Drumeline & Digital Drum Tech by Gabriel Cobas

38 Ask a PRO: Sean Vega by Ben Coulter

42 DCI Show Listing

3 Letter from the Editor 4 Note from Publisher 6 Book Reviews 7 The News 41 Gear Reviews44 Classifieds

28 Workshop 1: Independence Day 36 Workshop 2: Dream Scales 37 Workshop 3: Double-Triple/Stick Control


2 Volume #3DrumPRO CORPS www.drumpro.com 3DrumPRO CORPS

CONTENTS • Volume 3

Volume 3www.drumpro.com

Sr. Editor/PublisherGeorge Shepherd

Editor/ContentBen Coulter

Contributing WritersGreg Anderson

Ben CoulterSteve StockmalGabriel Cobas

Adam Nurre

Art, Layout & DesignRaymie Chapman

PhotographyBateman

Photographic Services

Web SiteStryder

Xanthus

CollectionsGuido

NotationsCreated inSibelius

PublisherCDI Publications

P. O. Box 11388Newport Beach, CA 92658

For Advertising Information, pleasecontact George Shepherd at:[email protected]

(714) 436-1234

Article submissions toGeorge Shepherd:

[email protected]

Questions, comments, hatemailor otherwise, send to:

[email protected]

DrumPro Groove magazineis published quarterly

by CDI Publications.

Unless otherwise indicated, all content © 2003 by CDI Publications. Reproduction in

whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is prohibited.

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First of all, I would like to thank George Shepherd, Brad Deason, DrumPRO, CDI Publications, and most import, the DrumPRO readers for taking me in and letting me be apart of such a wonderful publication. In the seven months I’ve been working with DrumPRO I have had such a fun experience, I’ve got to go many places, met and talk to many people, and totally surround myself in the marching world that I thought after aging out last year, would be lost for myself. Thank you so much!

A little bit about myself: I have been apart of the indoor and outdoor activity as a spectator, performer, designer, teacher and consultant since 1993 when I saw my first marching band and indoor drumline show at the age of 11. At the age of 13, I saw the Cardinals Drum & Bugle Corps from Scarborough, Toronto, Canada and I have been hooked ever since. In ’96 I joined the Amelia High School Drumline from Amelia, Ohio and marched there throughout High School and after when Amelia’s Indoor line went to the Independent A Class. I ended my marching career with Eklipse Winter Percussion’s snare line in ’03. In ’00 I started my teaching career with Amelia’s Indoor line as the Visual Caption Head while marching center snare. I’m now the Visual Caption Head and Snare Tech for Apex Winter Percussion and West Clermont Fusion Marching Ensemble out of Cincinnati, Ohio.

To put a few thoughts down about WGI Finals this year: It was such a wonderful experience to join DrumPRO, WGI and all the performing units in sunny San Diego. The show was fantastic! Held at such a high level of performance, the entire weekend very exciting. I had the opportunity to join many of the units in the parking lot with our video camera. After 4 hours and 45 minutes of footage, I was well impressed with the level of drumming through out all the classes. And what can I say about Music City Mystique? Absolutely a phenomenal performance!!! Some would agree and some would disagree, however, I feel the old Mystique has met the new Mystique. Let’s see where they roll with it in the years to come. As for other units such as Ayala, Centerville, North Coast Academy, Rhythm X and RCC, they all were amazing. I can’t wait to see what the 2005 season holds. I’m truly looking forward to it.

To close, I want to say a few things about the summer issue and how excited I am about it. July 1st will mark DrumPRO’s one year birthday. On top of that, the Corps Issue will be DrumPRO’s first ever fully in print magazine. Of course you can still get hold of it on the website. But for myself to think of my work being out there just like Streetbeat, Modern Drummer, WGI Focus, DCI Today, and all those magazines you find on the news stands; it’s a hype like no other. There are many wonderful and exciting articles, reviews, workshops, etc. with in the summer issue.

If you’re a first time DrumPRO reader, I would like to welcome you to DrumPRO Corps and thank you for your interest. If you’re a second, third, fourth, or more, thank you for joining us again. Be sure to check out DrumPRO’s other publications and most import, our website. www.drumpro.com

Till next time!Ben CoulterDrumPRO Corps Editor


Letter from the Editor

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Hello All,

We are very excited to be nearing our 1-year anniversary for the DrumPRO family. It has been a fun, yet sometimes stressful ride. Thanks to everyone who came out to SanDiego for the WGI finals. Many of you visited our booth along with testing your speed, endurance and cleanliness using the Digital DrumTech program.

As we move into 2004, we hope to develop the “community” of drumming through our new organization The International Drum Association. The IDA as we call it, is a sounding board for all things percussion related. We feel as though the drumming community can only evolve through the sharing of information, which is what DrumPRO is all about! There are many percussion resources on the web and throughout the world, but never has one organization tried to bring them all together for the common good. We believe that the drumming community is ready for this new endeavor and DrumPRO is proud to be leading the way.

The IDA provides its members with Performances, Clinics, Workshops, Events and News. Being a supporting member will get you discounts on gear, educational materials and reduced rates on sponsored events. The IDA was formed to support the percussion community. By supporting the IDA, you are, in turn, supporting all percussion related activities. Visit this link to sign-up and receive the benefits of an IDA membership. http://www.drumpromagazine.com/article.asp?id=63

“It is only through the love and community that we can truly achieve art!”

George Shepherd, Publisher

4 Volume #3DrumPRO CORPS

Note from the Publisher

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Introducing our new Review Rating System. We rate three areas: Skill Level, Content and Layout.1 = lowest (Beginner Level or Poor Quality) thru 5 = highest (Advanced Level or Awesome Quality!)

EXAMPLE: Skill Level: 1+ Content: 5 Layout: 3.5

Drumstick Spinology (Book/DVD) (SL=any, C=5, LO=4)By Steve Stockmal

Showmanship is not a new topic, but one that seems to be more controversial in recent years. In this new book, published by SMG Publications, Steve Stockmal demonstrates 100 different drumstick spins and the practical application of these spin variations. This book includes an accompanying DVD, for a detailed examination of the mechanics of each spin example. Lets face it, live performers are just as much “showmen” as they are musicians. The DVD is definitely done right! To learn more, visit www.drstix.com Book retail price: $29.95

The Music Teacher’s Manual (SL=5, C=5, LO=4.5)By Steve Stockmal

Ever thought about teaching? Could you use an extra few hundred dollars per month? I have seen a couple other books about creating extra income by teaching but they didn’t answer the real questions like Steve’s book does. Being an instructor through the past 10 years has given me a perspective on what works and what doesn’t. I would recommend this manual for anyone who would like to get the real scoop on what it takes to be a great private lesson teacher. Here are many of the topics that are covered in this book; Who Can Teach?, Teaching Techniques, Memory & Learning, The Psychologist/Teacher, Confidence Builders, Humor, Personal Program, Monitoring, Prompters & Triggers, Altitude, Voice, Commands, Control, Running the Class, Where to Teach?, How Much to Charge?, Financial Records, Advertising Your Lessons, Scheduling, When Prospective Students Call, First Meeting, Lesson 1, Parent Conference, Anecdotes from Actual Lessons, Donate Lessons, Weekly Reality Check, Writing Your Own Method Plan, Inspiration and Retirement. To learn more, visit www.drstix.com Book retail price: $16.95

Snare Drum Solos (SL=3+, C=3, LO=4+)(Seven Pieces for Concert Performance)By Sperie Karas

Snare drum solos are a unique animal. There are so many books and single solos available, where does one start? Sperie has done a good job in covering many sticking variations and rudimental combinations in this new book, published by Hal Leonard. This book is nothing “Spectacular” but a good book none-the-less. To learn more, visit www.musicdispatch.com Book retail price: $5.95

A side note:I am a bit disappointed that there are not so many innovative books for musical soloing on the market. And where do you hear about or find these books? Unfortunately, the better texts are only publicized within college percussion departments. Most solos are also a “hit or miss” when purchasing them. There are not many sound clips or PDF’s of published solos available. Let us know which snare solos you like, where we can find them and we’ll get the word out. Email us your recommendations: [email protected]


Book Reviews

http://www.drstix.com


http://www.musicdispatch.com

mailto:[email protected]


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KOSA 2004July 26-Aug. 1, 2004

Castleton State College,Castleton, Vermont USA

www.kosamusic.com

Mike Mangini (Steve Vai), Dave Garibaldi (Tower of Power), Jim Chapin (Author), Memo Acevedo (Tito Puente), Emil Richards (L.A studio legend), Alessandra Belloni (frame drum artist), Robby Ameen ( Paul Simon ), Jerry Mercer ( April Wine), Richie Flores ( Eddie Palmieri), Eduardo Leandro (marimba artist), Larry Marchese (Sibelius software), Allan Molnar (MIDI educator), Dave Samuels ( Caribbean Jazz Project), Oumar N’Dyaye ( West African Drummming & Dance), Trichy Sankaran (South Indian drumming), Jeff Salisbury (Johnson State College), Candido Camera (Dizzy Gillespie), Rick Van Horn (Modern Drummer), Marco Lienhard (Ondekoza taiko), Dom Famularo (International clinician), Aldo Mazza (multi-percussionist), Mario DeCiutiis ( Electrnic percussion), Kenwood Dennard (Berklee College of Music), Glen Velez (Paul Winter Consort), John Beck (Eastman School of Music), Lou Robinson (Didjiriddo Educator), Répercussion (International Performing Artists) Rhythm Section Labs with: Oscar Stagnaro, bass and Rafael Alcala, piano

REMO Pro Pad

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The NEWS

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REMO’s TSS Drum System

The new TSS Drums feature a combination of performance-proven Remo drumheads and newly-designed aluminum-alloy components and are available in two tunable versions, including six standard and six high-tension models. Standard-style TSS drums are recommended for most applications and are equipped with a SUEDE® EMPEROR®-weight head mounted in a one-piece Acousticon counterhoop and supported by an aluminum bearing edge and tension screw receiver hoop. Suggested for more extreme applications, high-tension TSS drums include a marching-style BLACK MAX® drumhead and add an aluminum counterhoop, both top and bottom, for increased strength, stability and tuning range.

To further augment the inherent flexibility of the TSS system, specially-developed snare wire conversion kits will be offered as upgrades for 6-14” TSS drums while the extensive assortment of available accessories will also include foam inserts that muffle the drums for practicing as well as mounts, brackets, stands, harnesses and arms that facilitate their use as stand-alone, cluster or add-on drums. In addition, TSS sound enhancement and modification will be easy to accomplish with modular drum shell inserts and sound reflectors. For additional information please contact Remo or visit Internet: www.remo.com

Check out our exclusive video interview with Remo Belli, explaining the TDE Total Drumming Experience. (Coming soon!)

The Drum ClubForum Moved?

That’s right! The drum club forumhas been moved to:

www.percussioncommunity.com


The NEWS

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WGI finals this year was fantastic. The beautiful location, fun booths and sweet beats made it a weekend that will long be remembered. Here’s a rundown on the highlights of the weekend for me.

I spent most of the weekend watching PIW and PSW lines and was impressed at the level of playing overall. There are usually 4 or 5 PIW groups that are really worth watching, and the rest are pretty ho-hum. That was not the case this year. All 12 PIW finalists had great shows, and were really drumming well.Some of my favorite moments of the evening were when Great Lakes Snare line went up the ramp and started playing a split roll. It sounded good, but then started to get fuzzy, and for a moment it sounded like it was going to be a nasty wreck! Then it morphed into split Swiss triplets and surprised everybody. After one more morph into alternating flams, the crowd went crazy. What a great moment for that snare line.

Rhythm X was a favorite of the weekend with their clear show design and amazingly demanding/clean beats. All sections were playing great and I heard very few ticks after watching them play high demand for a half hour in the lot. It was a great surprise to see them step up to medallist status after a few years farther down the scale.

There were so many groups playing a ridiculous amount of notes that it’s hard to pick one for the “most notes” award. From what I saw, RCC probably played the most beats with Freelancers, RhythmX and MCM not far behind. RCC was playing a lot of fast beats, and their “dry” snare sound made for very articulate indoor playing.

WGIFinalsRecap

By Greg Anderson




Blue Knights had my favorite music of the night; their pit had a very full and mature sound that was gorgeous. Their snare line was playing the most balanced and high quality beats I had seen the whole weekend when I saw them in the lot. There was obviously a lot of work done to achieve a great sound from player to player. They however, did not take that immaculate cleanliness to the floor, which is probably what helped to put them out of the medals for the first time in history.

Music city Mystique had a great overall package. They played a lot of notes and played consistently clean. The overall package was

definitely there for these guys. I always expect to see a battery book that’s different from everyone else out there when I watch MCM and this year was no exception. Their rhythmic and sticking combinations are always innovative and their performance was fantastic.

The other groups that stuck out as having a great show while playing very well were: Momentum, Esperanza, North Coast, and Black Knights. They didn’t have the most memorable shows, but put together a great package and will certainly give us great things in years to come.

There were also a lot of PSW groups that were great this year.

I personally liked Mission Viejo’s show the most in PSW. They played more notes and were a mite cleaner than most of the other groups, from my perspective. Centerville HS had a very strong show and although they didn’t win any captions. They put out a quality product across the board and it happened to take the cake. It was fun to see a group utilize more floor space than anyone has before and they played quite a few beats as well.

Dartmouth high school was very strong (as always), but left me wanting more. The kids played well, and the show design was interesting, but the book seemed to be a little out of reach for the snare line this year. Avon High School had some great design elements going on, with unbelievably high visual demand that was executed very well. It, however, did make the beats suffer. They didn’t drum as clean as most other finalist groups from what I saw, but the great show design and nearly flawless drill helped them to a high placing.

There were lots of other great high school lines in PSW finals, Pomona had a very interesting show, Arcadia’s battery drummed their butts off, Ayala played very well (although the snare tuning needed to come up a bit), James Logan’s visual design was super and fun to watch, San Marcos’ guard was phenomenal, Thousand Oaks was fun to watch in their bug costumes and Choctawhatchee High School gave a strong 12 place outing.

The PSW lines were very strong overall. It’s easy to see that these groups are going to keep getting


WGI Finals Recap



better and better for years to come. The other fun part of WGI was all the great booths. There were books, drums, pads, drumsticks and drumming superstars everywhere. I had a great time with Bill Bachman in the Vic Firth booth and also with the DrumPRO guys in the digital DrumTech booth. Seeing some of the latest and greatest products from every marching percussion manufacturer was fun too. If you ever have a chance to go to an event like this,

you should jump at the opportunity so you can see a bunch of great drumlines, see the latest stuff that’s coming out and meet the superstars of drumming that come out to these gigs.

I really enjoyed WGI finals, and hope to see all of you either teaching or drumming in a line next year in Dayton.

Greg is currently living in San Diego, CA with his wife Katie. He is currently studying music at San Diego State University and also teaches the percussion classes at several SD county schools. His Marching experience includes 2 years in the Blue Knights Drum Corps snare line (99, 00), and 1 year in the Blue Knights World Percussion Ensemble (01). He also played in and arranged for the Brigham Young University drumline from 1998-2000.


WGI Finals Recap

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WGI 2004 Percussion Final ScoresPercussion Scholastic A Finals(Sports Arena) Place Name Score1 Loara HS 93.12 Beyer HS 91.63 New Palestine HS 91.54 Trabuco Hills HS 89.755 Century HS 88.456 Erath HS 87.97 Valencia HS 84.48 Newbury Park HS 84.259 Nogales HS 83.7510 Canyon Hills Jr HS 83.4510 Mt Juliet HS 83.4512 Bear Creek HS 81.6

Percussion Independent A Finals(Sports Arena) Place Name Score1 L.E.A.P. 84.32 The Spirit of America Band 823 RIPE 79

Percussion Scholastic Open Finals (Cox Arena) Place Name Score1 Rancho Cucamonga HS 91.92 Everett HS 91.43 Tate HS 91.254 Kings HS 91.25 Reagan HS 90.656 Pacifica HS 89.87 Rubidoux HS 89.658 Father Ryan HS 86.19 Houston HS 84.610 Hawthorne HS 83.8511 Monarch HS 82.612 Cerritos HS 81.75

Percussion Independent Open Finals (Cox Arena) Place Name Score1 Eastside Fury 92.252 The Pride of SMSU 90.953 Scenic City Velocity 90.74 United Percussion 87.955 Eminence 84.16 Virginia Helmsmen 83.37 Aftermath 82.8

Scholastic Open Concert Percussion Finals (Sports Arena)Place Name Score1 Mission Viejo HS 952 Portsmouth HS 92.153 Ayala HS 91.94 Woodbridge HS 87.25 Brea Olinda HS 87.156 Salem HS 877 Anderson HS 86.55


WGI 2004 Percussion Final ScoresScholastic World Concert Percussion Finals (Sports Arena)Place Name Score1 Franklin Central HS 95.92 Fort Mill HS 94.953 Gateway HS 94.454 Tunstall HS 93.45 New Albany HS 89.76 Corona del Sol HS 89.15

Percussion Scholastic World Finals (Cox Arena) Place Name Score1 Centerville HS 94.12 Mission Viejo HS 93.73 Dartmouth HS 93.14 Avon HS 92.455 Center Grove HS 89.656 Ayala HS 897 Arcadia HS 88.28 James Logan HS 87.859 Pomona HS 86.9510 San Marco HS 86.711 Thousand Oaks HS 82.812 Choctawhatchee HS 80.9

Percussion Independent World Finals (Cox Arena) Place Name Score1 Music City Mystique 95.852 Riverside Comm. 93.83 Rhythm X 93.254 Blue Knights 92.65 Momentum 88.56 Freelancers 88.27 NorthCoast Academy 87.98 Black Knights 87.79 Great Lakes Perc 87.4510 Esperanza 82.2511 The Project 8212 Pariah 81.75


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2004WGI WorldChampions

Music CityMystique

ExecutiveDirector

Don ClickInterview

By Ben Coulter

Watching Music City Mystique in the parking lot on finals night was truly amazing. While capturing their raw display of talent on video, I was eagerly waiting to run into the Sports Arena to watch their final performance of 2004. I knew as Mystique’s battery threw down the “Envy” sequence of the show, I wanted to ask Don Click for an interview.

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DrumPRO: So Don, how did it happen, how did the Se7en show come about? Did you come up with it or was it a calibration from the entire MCM Staff?

DON: I only act as the “Executive Producer” of the shows that MCM presents. I make sure that we’re ALWAYS going in the right direction as far as design. Our entire staff contributes on both the creative side as well as the technical side of the show. Shane Gwaltney writes all of the battery music and the visual portion of the show and Erik Johnson writes all of the pit music. This year, our goal was to combine the “old Mystique” with the “new Mystique”. With

the 2004 program based on the 7 deadly sins, the concept fit all that we were looking for in the perfect indoor show for MCM! I felt that we accomplished that and more!

DrumPRO: Could you explain the design process that you and the MCM Staff used for this season?

DON: Again, our entire staff contributes on both the creative side as well as the technical side of the show. We began having staff meetings in June of ’03. At those initial meetings, we discussed, and determined the direction we felt the 2004 production show should go. We knew that we wanted a more aggressive show as well as a show that reached our entire audience base from the beginning drummer through the advanced drummer and even on to the non-percussionists. Once that direction was decided upon, we began throwing out various themes both musically and visually. At that time, an aggressive show was

born and then the seven deadly sins were soon to follow! Now that the theme was determined, we began grouping the sins together and figuring out what order they should go in. At the same time, we began listening to music that fit each sin. Our staff spends MANY hours in the music stores’ listening to various CD’s to come up with the perfect music! We decided that if we used a totally different piece for each sin, the show would not flow as well as we wanted. Based on that, we tried to organize the sins into 3 or 4 different groups, of course each sin within each group somehow relating to another. Once those groupings were established, the music was matched with each grouping. After the general flow was complete, we started to fine tune each section and work out the specific details of each chart. With Shane designing both the battery music and the visual program, he was able to have visual moments in mind while writing the battery book. As the season went on, we continued to fine-tune what we had until the finished product.

Don Click is the Executive Director and co-founder of the Music City Mystique Youth Organization, where he functions as the show coordinator for the indoor percussion ensemble… A native of Brentwood-TN, Don graduated from Brentwood High School in 1986. He began his college career at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama then studied at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. After 3 years at UNLV, Don transferred to the University of North Texas where he earned a degree in Finance. While at UNT, Don spent three years as a member of the UNT indoor drumline. During this time, the drumline won two championships at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention. Don also has deep roots in the Drum and Bugle Corps (DCI) activity. Don was a member of the 1985 Bridgemen, the 1988 Suncoast Sound and the 1989 Concord Blue Devils. He has taught and continues to arrange and consult at various high schools throughout the nation. Don currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Southeastern Color Guard Circuit where he acts as the Percussion Coordinator. With Winter Guard International, Don is a member of the Percussion Advisory Board, Percussion Steering Committee and is the current Treasurer and an Executive Board Member. Don is the Kentucky and Tennessee sales representative for Stanbury and the owner of Corps Essentials. He lives in Nashville with his wife- Stephanie and son- Avery. As soon as I got back to Cincinnati, I emailed Don here’s what he said:


www.drummonkeys.co.uk


DrumPRO: What were if at all some alternative show ideas you and or the Staff had for the 2004 program?

DON: Se7en was the one concept that was present throughout our entire design process.

DrumPRO: Over the 2004 season, MCM and the show Se7en has had much success. In the beginning, did you try and predict the outcome of WGI Finals? Or did you just know that it was a Gold Medal show? Or perhaps you had no idea?

DON: Each year we try to develop a show that will be the best we as a group have ever put on the court. Some years, you end up at the top and some years you don’t. I think if you go into a season with your success based on numbers and placement, you’ll lose every time…even if you win. Our goal is to be our personal best as a staff and to push our members to be

their personal best as performers. With that being said, we have never designed a show with winning in mind. We design our shows based on pushing ourselves past our own perceived limits.

DrumPRO: How was the journey out to San Diego for MCM and yourself? Did you enjoy the venue? Was it what you expected once the show was in full swing? And are you ready to head back to Dayton?

DON: The trip to San Diego was fantastic! It was more of a financial strain on our members as we had to increase dues this year because of the trip, but our members knew that going to California with MCM was a once in a lifetime opportunity! Most of the west coast drumlines never get to see us, so it was nice to broaden our fan base. The venue was different than what we were used to but it worked out fine. The rain on Saturday was something that we all had to deal with, but just something beyond our control so we dealt with it and moved on! We had limited warm up space compared to the Nutter Center in Dayton, but again just something else beyond our control. I think most of us will like getting back to Dayton because it’s our “comfort zone!” Everyone knows what to expect in the city, what to expect in the parking lot and what to expect in the performance venue. I remember in the beginning of WGI, people complained about the Nutter center being to “dry” of a venue, but we all adapted and now can’t wait to get back to what we know!

DrumPRO: When talking about five years down the road, where do you think the MCM Organization will stand? There has been the addition of the Winter Guard, is there a possible Drum Corps in the future of the Organization? Keep the long-term goals in mind.

DON: There were many people that felt that they did not “fit” with other Independent guards in our area and wanted an alternative. So, this year MCM added a color guard to the program. The guard staff had been working together for many years in the Brentwood HS program (including myself). We had such a great working relationship on the HS level, that it was natural to use the same staff for our guard. Hopefully, 5 years down the road, the guard will be just as admired as our drumline. It will take about that long to gradually build on the success of this year and continue to refine the MCM guard’s place in WGI. It’s an exciting place to be! As far as having a Corps, at one time, MCM had planned on starting a drum corps, but those plans we quickly dissolved once the research was complete. Running a drum corps


Don Click Interview


www.artistopia.com


is a HUGE commitment of time and assets…. a commitment that we are not interested in taking on at this time. We determined that if we could not “do it right,” we were not going to do it at all! I have a lot of respect for drum corps; they do things that I could not see myself accomplishing!

Because Don is so involved with the indoor activity, WGI, and SCGC, I felt I shouldn’t just ask about MCM. Many of my close friends, advisors, mentors, and myself; have always had many questions about where the activity is going and the administration side of the activity. I felt talking with Don; I had the perfect opportunity to ask some of those most soot after questions.

DrumPRO: As being so involved with WGI and the indoor activity, where do you think this activity will stand in five years?

DON: The indoor activity will continue to grow and grow! WGI is the one place that many younger instructors can flourish. It is difficult for a younger instructor to show his creativity in the fall (via high school marching band) because it truly is not his program. What he does is dictated by what the band director wants. It is equally as difficult for the younger instructor to break into the summer, as drum corps is so competitive that it limits the number of caption heads. WGI on the other hand allows even the first year instructor/designer the ability to do whatever he wants! In most cases, the band director is not involved and when he is it


Don Click Interview



is strictly in a leadership role not a creative one. As members of the PIW, PIO and PIA groups age-out, they go to the high school level and start their own programs. There are MANY outlets for the younger instructor/designer in WGI.

DrumPRO: There will probably be shows held in high school gyms forever, because it is kind of the root of the activity. However, as the activity grows, do you feel that it will move away from the high school venues and into more arenas?

DON: WGI is a facility driven activity. There are only so many “large venues” available, and most are cost prohibitive. Do you realize that some of the larger (NBA style) venues cost upwards of $15,000 a day to rent? WGI tried and was successful at adding “Power Regionals” to the color guard portion of the activity this year. These regionals were at much larger facilities designed to give the performers a “mini-championship” type of experience. With the success of these power regionals, it is only time before the percussion portion of the activity will do the same. Our roots are the local circuits. If the local circuits thrive, so will WGI. BUT, the local circuits are based on high school venues (with maybe the exception being circuit championships), so we will always play in the big booming, high school gyms throughout the season!

DrumPRO: As being on the Executive Board of WGI, what

do you thing WGI will do to widen the fan base and bring more exposure of the activity to the general public, locally, and nationally?

DON: As stated in an earlier question, the root of WGI is the circuit. Through increased membership in the local circuits, WGI will continue to grow. I do not think that WGI will ever be a household name to the general public. WGI is planning it’s growth by strategically placing regionals throughout the country as well as providing the best judges training in the industry. As entry-level groups are born, not only the members of these smaller groups, but also by their parents and other supportive relatives, increase our

fan base. Our activity, even though very interesting to those involved, is not something that everyone in the country would enjoy (compared to rock music, videos, etc.). As long as we all realize that and concentrate on our participants, we will all have more support than we know!

DrumPRO: It has been said that there is an unwritten rule that no one member can jump from one group to another when still owing membership fees? Do you think WGI will someday write up a policy on this issue?

DON: Unfortunately, money is what makes our activity possible. It would be great if members


Don Click Interview


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didn’t have to pay to participate. They could perform on the best possible equipment, travel on the nicest busses and the staffs could get paid what they deserve - but that’s just not reality. Most groups, including MCM, use member dues as a majority of our income. We as Directors must have enough respect for other groups to police ourselves. I do not feel that it is WGI’s role to be the watchdog of every group and whether or not a member owes someone else money. There is an unwritten “gentleman’s agreement” between the groups in WGI and DCI that you, as a Director, will not allow someone to march if they have outstanding obligations to another group. If we all abide by this, we will all benefit.

DrumPRO: If you had one piece of advice to the up and coming performers of the indoor activity, which have yet to march at all, what would that piece be?

DON: Listen and learn! You can learn a lot from your staff, the members standing next to you and other groups. Sometimes you learn what you SHOULD be doing; sometimes you learn what you SHOULDN’T be doing…but always are learning. And enjoy yourself; the opportunity to march in WGI doesn’t last long!

I would like to give out a big thanks to Don Click for the interview. -Ben Coulter (DrumPRO Corps Editor)

20 Volume #3DrumPRO CORPS

Don Click Interview


BACK TO CONTENTS20 Volume #3DrumPRO CORPS

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DrumPRO: How long have you been with Mystique?

HUNTER: I have been in Music City Mystique since I was thirteen and I was in the eighth grade. 1998 was my first year in the organization and I have been in the “family” of Mystique for seven years. I have been marching in the ensemble for six years. The years that I have marched are 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, and currently 2004.

DrumPRO: How many years do you have left in the indoor activity and do you plan on spending those years with the Mystique Organization?

HUNTER: I have four years left if you count this current season of 2004. I definitely plan on spending the rest of my years in WGI at Mystique.

DrumPRO: Why Mystique? Is it convenient to where you live, where you go to school, was it Don Click and the Mystique Staff, what was it that turned you on to Mystique?

HUNTER: Mystique was pretty close by, just under an hour away from my hometown of Hendersonville in 1998, so naturally when I heard about it I

Young GunsFeaturing Hunter StricklinMusic City Mystique s̓ Center SnareBy Ben Coulter




felt like I should at least go and try it out. I came in late because they needed a spot to be filled in the auxiliary section of the front ensemble and my private instructor was in the front ensemble at the time. She invited me out in mid-January to a camp to see what I thought about it and I knew right away that I wanted to be apart of this organization. After I became apart of the organization it was Don Click and Cory Click that really helped me out in feeling comfortable with the people I was with and my new surroundings. The convenience of Mystique is still there for me even today as I am sophomore at Middle Tennessee State University; in fact the ride to rehearsal is shorter.

DrumPRO: Could you explain your roll as the center snare of one of the most looked at indoor percussion programs in the nation?

HUNTER: Well, my role as center snare so far has been to keep consistent tempo and to try to manage the moral of the other members, not to mention looking and sounding good while doing all of this…obviously. Last year, 2003, was my first year as center snare and it definitely was a learning year for me. After that season and my summer at Patriots Drum and Bugle Corps I realized what I needed to do for this current season.

DrumPRO: Take us through a rehearsal camp? Tell us the structure of the camp and

how your knowledge and past experience is implemented to the line and rehearsal time. Do you have none, a little, or a lot, of input to the building of the line, or does the staff take full responsibility of this?

HUNTER: A rehearsal camp at Mystique starts Friday night and ends Sunday afternoon of every week. We start Friday night at about 9:00 P.M. depending on if the truck was loaded or not. If the truck is still loaded come Friday night then it usually takes a little bit longer to get rehearsal started. We also have out-of-towners so traffic can sometimes get in the

way of full rehearsal. Friday night almost always consists of sectional time within the battery and the front ensemble by themselves in the band room. We rehearse at Whitthorne Middle School in Colombia, TN and have many places to rehearse in the facility but we usually segment the sectionals where the front ensemble is in the band room, the snares are in the gym, the quads are in the lobby, the basses are in a hallway, and the cymbals are in a hallway. We also just added our new Music City Mystique Winter Guard and they have full rein over the second gym in the school. We usually don’t get done with rehearsal on Friday night


Young GunsPHOTO : BATEMAN PHOTOGRAPHY



until midnight and after that we have one hour to go and get food or whatever. Most of the time other sections will get together and drum on pads out in the lobby until what usually becomes the wee hours of the morning. Saturday we wake up at 8:00 A.M. and we usually have an hour to get ready and eat breakfast, which is supplied for us by Don and Stephanie Click. At 9:00 A.M. we stretch for an hour with the guard and then the battery usually does a two-hour basics block in the gym while the guard usually stretches for another hour or so and the front ensemble warms up and rehearses in the band room. From noon to 1:00 P.M. we go to

lunch at our own expense usually to a nearby fast food restaurant. The afternoon block sometimes consists of either more sectional time or full ensemble rehearsal in the gym. At the beginning of the season we usually concentrate on learning the drill for the show, so most of Saturday is spent learning the show. Later in the season we become more regimented in our Saturday routine. We always get a dinner break of two hours usually starting at 5:30 P.M. The evening block is more full ensemble and we go to bed at the same time on Saturday as we do on Friday. Sunday we wake up and do the same routine as we did on Saturday

morning except we have full ensemble until noon, then we clean the school for about two hours until it’s completely spotless. We meet in the band room afterwards and talk about our weekend and the weekend to come as well as any other important news. After we leave the school, many of the members go to the local Arby’s to eat. I usually have some word in the choosing of the snare line (but not a whole lot). The staff will ask me a question like: “What do you think of that guy?” and if I know him and have seen him drum I usually answer as honestly as I can. As a member, my knowledge of how to run a rehearsal block has matured greatly after this summer. Rehearsals are always extremely intense and “in your face.” We love to have a lot of fun when we drum, so we don’t mess around with our rehearsal time. We always push ourselves to our limits and then beyond. We have a motto in the organization that the Marines use: “Pain is just weakness leaving the body.” We strive to think of that while we rehearse and perform to our max.

DrumPRO: Can you tell us about Mystique’s 2004 show? What is the basic design and concept?

HUNTER: Our 2004 show is based on the seven deadly sins as listed in the Bible. Our show opens up with the front ensemble sustaining very dark chords while the rest of the battery is still setting up. The show actually begins when I come out of the backdrops and perform a solo that kick starts the


Young Guns



rest of the battery. Our musical selections are from Interview with the Vampire, American Beauty, and Metallica. Our floor design is based on the seven deadly sins with seven backdrops, one for each sin, and a large circular pit in the front of the court that represents Hell. The front ensemble is on the right side of the court, which is a bit different than last year’s antiphonal setting.

DrumPRO: To you, is this year’s show exciting or is it just another show and why?

HUNTER: The talent level is extremely high and I have always had extreme confidence in the design staff. This year should be a very good year for Music City Mystique.

DrumPRO: Can you elaborate on your past shows with Mystique? Which one’s where exciting, which one’s were not, and why?

HUNTER: 1998: “Vodun” was my first year, and I was in the front ensemble, and it is still my favorite show.1999: “From Dawn till’ Dusk, the Serengeti” I marched cymbals and I loved the show. 2001: “Strength and Honor” was my first year on snare and that show is my second favorite.2002: “The Persistence of Time” was a good year and the drill was as hard as the 1999 show.2003: “Reflections” was another good year and it was my first year as center snare.

DrumPRO: Mystique has such a great tradition in WGI…where do you see this year’s show and line fitting into that tradition?

HUNTER: Our tradition is the tradition of excellence and we expect to set new standards for the WGI activity as a whole.

DrumPRO: What do you see as being your long-term commitment to drumming and the young people coming up behind you?

HUNTER: Hopefully I will help to set new standards in Mystique and WGI and help lead the way for generations to come in this activity. I plan on teaching and going on to composition as my degree in college.


Young Guns



Here is a typical conversation that inspired me to write my book:

“So what are you going to do?”

“I don’t know! I don’t really want to get a “job-job”, but I have to eat. Maybe I can get something part-time that pays enough to take care of

my bills and that way we can keep the band going.”

“Well, this may sound like a crazy idea, but have you ever thought about teaching?”

“Actually I have, but I don’t have a degree or anything so I don’t think I can get in.”

“Maybe not in a University, but I’m talking about private lessons. You can teach as much or as little as you want,

basically name your own price, and teach whatever you want to teach (or at least whatever the student wants to learn).”

Ok, so you get the idea. I have been playing music for over 20 years now. I was very lucky/persistent and have been able to make my living doing just that…playing music. But, as they say, be careful what you wish for, I was often bored during the day. I had gigs at night, and a few rehearsals here and there, but for the most part I was hanging out during the day trying to fill in the hours. After all, how much can someone practice daily?

So, I started focusing my mind toward “work”. After shuffling through the classifieds looking at telemarketing or brick-layer jobs, I went to a couple of music stores and just pretended I was working there…hmmm…could work. At least I would still be around music, instruments and musicians.

Anyway, as I was leaving I noticed an ad on their bulletin board “Guitar lessons in your home”. Hmmm, now there’s a thought. I could teach some guitar lessons, that way I could still play and practice my instrument, and get paid.

I rushed home and called the number right away. It was an answering machine. L I decided not to leave a message and made a mental note to call later. In the meantime I started thinking about what I could teach. I knew all of my chords and scales and a bunch of songs. I also had a great deal of experience playing live and

TeachingMusicBy Steve Stockmal


www.tigerbill.com



had picked up several tips that could save a beginner a lot of time and frustration. So I started writing stuff down. Random thoughts, tunes that I felt that someone should know, things that would help build speed and licks that were just plain fun to play.

After a few hours I looked at what I had written and thought, “Hey, there should be a book about this. Something that could help people like me organize their thoughts, game plan, lesson approach, how to advertise, where to teach, etc.” By the time I finally called the number again, I was ready with a million questions. But the main thing I wanted to know was, How much did he charge?

Based on what I could charge each student, I made an estimate of how much I could make per month gross, then I started trying to figure out expenses, rent, equipment, advertising and it started to get a bit overwhelming.

So I made a decision…I would put up a flyer here and there around town and see what happens. I called

several music stores to find out the average going rate for 1⁄2 hour lessons and then started to work on the flyer. I tried to think what it was that stood out on the ad I had seen. Well, not much. Basically just the word GUITAR was bigger than the rest of it. Now keep in mind, I’m no advertising buff. I just made a short, to the point statement about what I teach, added a cool picture of a guitar, wrote my name and phone number and put up ads in four locations.

Within 2 hours I had my first call and in the first three days I had already made 5 appointments for Saturday lessons. Wow!!!

Now, I had a big decision…what do I do? How do I time a lesson? How do I organize payments? How should I mark students when they are a no show? How do I keep the student inspired? Find out in part two in our TEACHER’S MANUAL series.

Steve Stockmal is the author of The Teacher’s Manual an several other drumming methods. For more information on Steve’s books, visit www.drstix.com


Teaching Music



BACK TO CONTENTS BACK TO CONTENTS28 Volume #3DrumPRO CORPS www.drumpro.com 29DrumPRO CORPS

Workshop 1

By Gabriel Cobas


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A Review and Comparison:

Virtual Drumline &Digital Drum Tech

by Gabriel Cobas

Over the past year, two new sound libraries have come into our lives, Tap Space’s Virtual Drumline and Digital Drum Tech’s Contemporary Marching Percussion Sample Library.

Long gone are the days of awful midi sounds playing back on your computer as you try to imagine them as your drumline. Long gone are the days of hearing midi gunshots for your snares, bongos and congas for your tenors and taiko or melodic toms, for your basses. As drumline arrangers and composers, we have finally reached a high point of computer notation and playback, actual marching drumline sounds played through your computer speakers. Music technology has finally reached the common folk who just want to hear their music as it would actually sound.


http://www.digitaldrumtech.com

http://www.tapspace.com


A quick non-computer/non-audio genius description of sampling:The developers of these two libraries took an immense amount of time and hard work creating very short audio recordings of every sound in the drumline genre. Right and left and hits, rims, rim shots, ping shots, stick clicks, etc... They then converted these audio recordings into midi language. It is essentially live audio playback using computer input. After loading the samples into your sampler or sound card, instead of hearing the standard 128 General Midi sounds, you hear the recording that was recorded of the actual instrument. These libraries are not stand alone applications, but are enhancements to your music writing/music playback software.

The ReviewsI have broken the review down into 3 basic sections: Setup/Installation, Working with the libraries, and Sample quality.

Setup/Installation

DDT Marching Percussion Sample Library 4/5Digital Drum Tech. (DDT) takes a lot of time walking you through the steps needed for getting your library up and running. DDT takes into account that the average user of their library is not a music technology guru thus using simple terms and lots of pictures to get you through the setup. DDT also walks you through setting up the sounds to work with Finale and Sibelius. Managing sound fonts and gig files can be very intimidating; DDT breaks it down, defines terms, and allows the user to understand the lingo when working through the setup. DDT’s support page isn’t up and running yet on their website, which isn’t ideal. An F.A.Q. on the setup would have been nice since almost everyone has their own unique computer setup. An email to DDT about a template issue took awhile to get back to me. When I did receive the email the problem was fixed fully and I had no problems from then on with setup.

Virtual Drumline 5/5Both of these libraries have very similar installation


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guides, mostly because program setup for both is very similar. Virtual Drumline (VD) also walks you through the installation and setup process using simple terms and plenty of pictures and diagrams. I found the setup for VD trouble free. VD does not provide a Finale walk through in their manual, but does give it on their website. One thing that favored VD over DDT was that VD used bigger pictures and diagrams then DDT. It took more pages, but I appreciated not having to squint to see the screen shots of the setup process. VD does have a strong support and F.A.Q. page on their website. Tapspace has also created a VD user forum for technical questions related to the product. In most cases, one of the product developers will post answers to your question.Working with the LibrariesThe keymap is a diagram of a keyboard setup with each specific sound assigned to a different key on the keyboard. When working with the libraries, you will find that the setup of the keymap will be crucial on how easy or difficult it will be to work through the program. Obviously, the tenors and basses have the most keys Using 5 drums with a variety of implements, makes for a lot of keys that can be used.

DDT Marching Percussion Sample Library 4/5

DDT provides keymaps for all your midi entry needs. DDT uses a “write it as you see it” approach to their keymap. The low tenor drum, an “F” on the staff, is represented by an “F” on the keyboard; number 3 drum is an “A” and so on. This method would be ideal if there was only one hit per drum. DDT has created right and left hand hits for each drum with the left hand a minor second down from the right hand. While some drums have both hands on the white keys, the number 3 drum has the left hand hit on the “Ab.” It can get confusing if you are trying to get something down quickly. If you aren’t as picky, and don’t mind all your drums being hit with the right hand, the entry can go very quickly with DDT. The template provided has the 5th bass notated on the “F” line with the top bass drum on the “G” line on top of the staff. I prefer the other method of notation with the 5th bass residing on the “D” line just above middle “C.” If you aren’t as stubborn as me, it isn’t a big deal.

Virtual Drumline 4.5/5VD provides keymaps for their layout. The VD method differs from the DDT method in that with VD, the map is centered around movement on the keyboard and not the screen. Virtual Drumline takes uses the 5 black keys in the octave as their guide to the setup. The low tenor drum has the right hand on the “F#”, drum 3 on “G #”, and so on. All of the left hands are a minor second down thus making the movement from right hand to left hand quite easy. The templates provided have the 5th bass residing on the “D” line just above middle “C”, which I prefer. With both libraries there is a learning curving in memorizing where to find rimshots, skanks, rims etc…Both of the libraries have configured the template to change the note head whenever specialty note is played (rimshot, dreads, hotrods, etc…). Using the templates for both programs will save you an immense amount of time. More time writing and less time formatting!

SOUNDS!Both of these companies have achieved a benchmark for all future sample developers to work towards. These sounds are so realistic and true that some of the less experienced will be fooled into thinking that it is a real drumline playing your beats, which essentially is happening. For this section I took both libraries and entered the same cadence using both sets of sounds, extracted the parts as separate audio files and listened to them over and over. I didn’t trust myself to make


got samples?

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www.urlbasics.com

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this comparison. I sent the files out to some friends of mine in the marching drumline community: a high school drum captain, a former tech for the Boston Crusaders, a former DCI Caption Head, a DCI pit instructor, a quad drummer alumnus of the Star of Indiana, and a former military drummer.

DDT Marching Percussion Sample LibraryDDT used Yamaha drums with Promark sticks and Sabian Cymbals. DDT recorded their sounds in a studio environment. DDT provides full libraries of both the 14” MTS and the 14” SFZ snare drum. FieldCorps toms -6”, 10”, 12”, 13” and 14”, FieldCorps Bass Drums -18”, 20”, 22”, 24”, 26” and Sabian Hand Hammered Viennese cymbals -16”, 19” and 20.” One nice feature is that DDT provides samples of solo hits and ensemble hits for the snares and tenors, if you have 3 snares and one tenor, you can hear what that instrumentation will sound like.

Snare, 4.75/5 sound is nice, not tuned beyond reason and produces a clean, crisp snare sound. Most of the feed back favored the DDT snare

over the VD snare sound. Some of the snare sounds include standard hits, near the rim, shots, ping shots, hotrod sticks, a very nice rim click, and a great buzz roll. The snare voice also has various cymbal hits.

Tenors, 3/5 were unbalanced compared with the other drums. It almost sounded as if the drums had new heads on that hadn’t quite settled. The spock drum was definitely out of character with the rest of the ensemble, too high. You always knew when the spock was playing because it dominated the ensemble, even when unisons and shots were being played by the other drums. The other four drums were in tune with each other, the drum-to-drum sound was nice, again tuned too high for my personal taste. The higher tuning could be due to the fact that the recordings were done in a studio.

Basses, 4/5 just like the tenors, were tuned a bit higher then I am used to hearing. Again, the drum to drum was great. There is some resonance heard from all of the drums. I actually liked the resonance a little, especially on the bottom drum. I liked being able to hear a clear tone out of the low drum. I liked the fact that each bass had a rim sample.

Cymbals, 4.5/5sounded good for the marching field. Effects were good and mapping was easy. The use of three different sizes makes it nice if you want to write split parts like a bass drum line.

Tapspace Virtual DrumlineVirtual Drumline is comprised of the Santa Clara Vanguard’s Drumline setup. Tapspace recorded their sounds outside in June of 2002. VD uses the Santa Clara Vanguard Drumline as their setup. Pearl 14” FFX snares, Pearl Championship series 6”, 10”, 12”, 13”, and 14” marching toms, Pearl Championship series 18”, 20”, 22”, 26”, and 30” Marching Basses, and Zildjian 20” Stadium Series cymbals. All of the samples use the full SCV drumline using Vic Firth sticks and mallets: 8 snares, 5 tenors, 5 bass drums and 5 cymbalists.

Snares, 4.5/5 sound is very realistic and high in quality. It is obvious that you are hearing 8 snares, as the single hits are a little wet. The samples differ a bit from DDT in that it is always everyone playing; rim click is actually 8 rim clicks, and single note hits sound like 8 snare drummers. The use of all eight drummers really gives the feel of an ensemble sound when hearing your playback, not just one drum. Some of the samples include: ping shots, over the head shots, wet and dry crush, crescendo/decrescendo buzz rolls, and standard rim shots that blend beautifully with the full ensemble.


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www.thumpercustomdrums.com


Snares, 4.5/5 sound is very realistic and high in quality. It is obvious that you are hearing 8 snares, as the single hits are a little wet. The samples differ a bit from DDT in that it is always everyone playing; rim click is actually 8 rim clicks, and single note hits sound like 8 snare drummers. The use of all eight drummers really gives the feel of an ensemble sound when hearing your playback, not just one drum. Some of the samples include: ping shots, over the head shots, wet and dry crush, crescendo/decrescendo buzz rolls, and standard rim shots that blend beautifully with the full ensemble.

Tenors 4.75/5 sound fantastic in this library. All of the feedback I got favored the VD tenors for their tuning and sound quality. The tenor voice really adds to the overall blend of the full ensemble, it doesn’t stick out or draw attention away from the other voices. The shots weren’t too loud and the spock drum blended nicely with the snares.

Basses 4/5 were tuned for the stadium environment. There was quite a bit of muffling without losing the tone of the drum. The top 4 bass drums sounded great with the 5th bass sounding like it was tuned solely as an impact drum. The 5th bass sounded like a “thud” according to most of the feedback provided. There was only a unison rim click available, which limits you if you like writing rim passages, you have to use the dreadlock sticks patch to come close to the rim sounds.

Cymbals, 4/5 had a very distinct Zildjian sound, bright. The SCV cymbal line uses 20” for everyone, which means there isn’t any distinction in pitch. Some people like having a cymbal line similar to a bass drum line where the size of the cymbal gets larger down the line. Good samples, not enough special effect sounds in my opinion, but still very useful.

ConclusionDDT’s Contemporary Marching Percussion Sample library 2 disc set will run you $140, or $99 with an academic price. More information and ordering can be obtained at www.digitaldrumtech.com. Tapspace’s, Virtual drumline goes for $99 at www.tapspace.com.


got samples?


http://www.tapspace.com

www.batemanfoto.com


Bottom line, the consumer wins. Both of these companies have offered something to us amateur arrangers and composers that have been financially out of reach in the past. A little advice, take the time to read the websites; there are certain peripherals/software that you must have to effectively run these libraries. You may have to upgrade your soundcard or notation software, IT IS WORTH IT! You will save yourself headache and time by having the recommended equipment. Once you experience the power and potential that these libraries provide, you will not regret the investment you have made. Both companies deserve your business, the hours involved in creating these for you are countless. Support these guys by buying their libraries; again, you won’t regret your investment.


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Gabriel Cobas BioGabriel Cobas has been active in the marching percussion arena for over 15 years, first as a student, then as an arranger, composer, and instructor. He received a Percussion Performance degree from California State University, Fullerton in the winter of 2000. Cobas currently serves as the Manager of Education programs for the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Gabriel has remained active teaching and arranging throughout southern California and New England. He has taught and arranged percussion at many well-known high schools in CA such as Vista High School, Vista, CA, Etiwanda High, Etiwanda, CA and Mt. Carmel High School, San Diego. He has also been on staff at Riverside Community College in Riverside, CA and The Roland Hayes School of Music in Boston, MA.

Gabriel was a member of the Velvet Knights pit in 1994 and the Blue Devils pit in 1998. Gabriel is relatively new to the music-sequencing scene and is still learning the capabilities of sound sampling. He is quite versatile working with Finale and Sibelius software music notation programs. Gabriel has presented workshops for New England teachers on Sibelius 3, and is committed to keeping New England teachers up to date with the latest in software notation.





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Workshop 2


By Gabriel Cobas


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Workshop 3By Adam Nurre

DrumPRO: Besides a lot of time and effort, what are some key things a beginning percussionist can bring to their practicing and rehearsing to be more successful?

SEAN: Practicing efficiently is the key to any effective session. A common misconception is that long hours will produce beneficial results. This is not the case at all. Success is more dependent on how and what you are practicing…not the length of time. Important factors include: Using a consistent source of tempo (metronome), applying proper technique, practicing at the fundamental level using a wide range of tempo and dynamic levels, and most importantly…having fun!!

Ask a PRO:Sean Vega

By Ben Coulter

While searching for one of the world’s greatest percussionist I had stumbled across the news that Sean Vega who some call the greatest tenor player to walk the earth, has taking the Caption Head position of Riverside Community College Marching Tigers and Riverside Indoor Drumline. Therefore, I thought what better person to cover then Vega himself.

Sean Vega began his career in marching percussion in 1994 as a member of the Concord Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps. In four years as a member of the quadline, Sean helped the corps attain 3 DCI World Championship titles and 3 DCI High Percussion awards. He also attained the DCI Tenor Individuals and captured the title in 1995. Upon aging-out in 1997, he was hired and continues to be a member of the prestigious Blue Devils percussion staff. As a current endorser of Dynasty USA, Vic Firth, Remo, and Xymox Percussion, Sean actively performs, adjudicates, and serves as a clinician for Bands of America, Bowl Games of America, Percussive Arts Society, Drum Corps International, and Drum Corps Europe. Sean also serves as caption head and arranger at Valley View High School, and for the world-renowned Riverside Community College Marching Tigers. Some of Sean’s teaching credits include the 1999 and 2003 DCI World Championship titles (BD) and the 2002 WGI Independent World title (RCC). Sean has an Associate degree from Riverside Community College and is currently attending classes at Cal State San Bernadino where he is studying Public Relations.


DrumPRO: What are some key things that brought you to where you are today as a rudimental percussionist and tenor player?

SEAN: Patience! I wanted to learn everything all at once…but that isn’t possible. I had to control my desire to learn all of the hard stuff while neglecting the fundamentals of rudimental percussion.

DrumPRO: As one of the best tenor players in the world, do you have any key secrets to being a great tenor player?

SEAN: Besides the many facets of tenor that make it such a challenging instrument, one must remember that they also need to focus on playing on one surface only. Many tenor drummers learn how top play many things around the drums, but have a terrible sound when playing on one drum. This is a huge problem. Quality of sound comes from a strong understanding of fundamentals. Don’t get ahead of yourself. Become a good drummer before you focus on becoming the best tenor drummer.

DrumPRO: What was your favorite Drum Corps show? Why?

SEAN: My favorite would have to be Star 93. The coordination of the musical and visual package was far beyond anything I had ever seen. The effects that were programmed into the show were ideas that were unique and standard setting for its time. That hornline and drumline were pretty damn good as well.

DrumPRO: Who are the inspirations and roll models that inspired you to get to where you are today?

SEAN: Ahh…everyone must have heroes. They inspire us to be who we are. Mine include a wide range of performers and teachers: Scott Johnson, Mike Jackson, Jim Wunderlich, Roger Carter, the 1992 SCV tenor line, the endless years of incredible

BD quadlines known as the Q5, Magic Johnson, and my personal favorite Vinnie Colaiuta.

DrumPRO: Obviously music plays an important part of your life in and out of the marching activity. What is in Sean Vega’s CD player right now?

SEAN: I’m a big fan of Drum and Bass. Squarepusher is a favorite…but I listen to a lot of local D&B performers in the LA area. Fusion jazz and classic rock are apart of the car library. Hip-hop is also in the CD player quite a bit.

DrumPRO: One of the most over looked aspects of younger percussionist/drumlines is the inability to affectively tune tenor drums within their section and overall with the ensemble. What are some of your techniques for tuning tenor drums?

SEAN: That could be a 10-page dissertation…but the one key that most people overlook is balancing the pitch of each head independently. Tuning each lug on a single head is crucial in getting a desirable sound when tuning as a section. Always tune across the head. Start with one lug and then match it to the one directly across from it. Once you have each pair in tune, match the pairs to balance the head. This takes time…but is well worth the effort.

DrumPRO: What are some good and bad things that has happened to you due to success and the notoriety that you’ve experienced over the past few years?

SEAN: The great thing about my experiences over the past few years is that I have had the opportunity to meet some of the greatest people in the world. Come on now…who wouldn’t want to hang with Scott Johnson and Ralph Hardimon?

DrumPRO: How do you approach competition


Ask a PRO

with your line?

SEAN: The competitive aspect of our activity is an odd one to truly comprehend. Groups are evaluated by a judge who uses set criteria to make an unbiased decision on the order of placement in their relationship to excellence. This isn’t basketball folks. We really don’t compete with each other. It’s more like we are competing with the judge. Because of that fact I try not let the competitive aspect alter the focus of the performers. Don’t get me wrong I’m as competitive as the next…but in an opinion based

system, there is not much one can do but just perform.

DrumPRO: The Indoor Marching Community and the latest BOA trends have fully embraced the use of amplification and electronics. What are your thoughts on this trend? When or do you see Drum Corps following this path?

SEAN: Amplification to me should be a no brainier. Keyboards in general are not capable of producing the amount of volume to match that of the modern drumline and hornline. This fact has led to the use of mallet techniques that are looked upon less favorably by most mallet educators. This heavy weighted approach can cause damage to the keys as well as the performers themselves. It is not the same technique taught by concert percussion educators. Amplification will allow mallet players to use a more consistent technique from inside to outside. I’m also a huge advocate of the use of electronics. I think it provides another outlet for creativity and helps strengthen the overall effect of the show.

DrumPRO: When you go to set a line, what do you look for when choosing positions? “Chops, feet, read well, raw talent, etc.” Maybe in order of importance…

SEAN: These days the average performer is playing at a much higher level than when I started as a performer. Thanks to DCI and

WGI, kids are getting hands on training year round, and beginning at a much earlier age. So the hands are never as much of a concern at the onset of any season. I usually focus on the performers ability to comprehend advanced movement skills, as well as their ability to read music. A key point that I try to keep in mind…who will be the best performer for the task come season’s end.

DrumPRO: You’ve got your name on a drumstick, which just about every percussionist knows about. Did you look at yourself in the mirror and say? “I have arrived, I am the man!” How did you take this experience? Did you have partial or full creative control of the stick? Now be honest, you do use your own stick right?

SEAN: HA…yes, I do use my own stick. It is strange to think that my name appears on a drumstick that is sold world wide, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that I’m still the same old kid that picked up sticks for the first time in high school and just wanted to have fun. I have been very fortunate to have strong teachers as well as a great mentor, Scott Johnson. Though I had come up with the original concept for the stick, it was through Scott’s influence that Vic Firth considered the stick. It was also a team effort in finalizing the design of what is now the Scott Johnson VEGA.


Ask a PRO

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Ahead Grip TapeIn an effort to save embarrassing and potentially hazardous drumstick slippage, many of us have tried grip tapes and resins to give a firmer grip. After trying the Ahead Grip Tape, I am convinced that this is the best grip product on the market. This tape was designed to be used in conjunction with Ahead’s shock reducing stick technology, however, after wrapping by favorite jazz sticks, I found that they greatly reduce shock and give added support for intricate sticking patterns. Retail price: $4.30 For more information, visit www.bigbangdist.com

Ahead Marching M-SeriesAs many of you know, Ahead Drumsticks has released a synthetic version of the marching snare drum stick. We took it upon ourselves to check out this new addition to the marching products family. And here’s what we found:

I can’t say that I was not a bit jaded by the stigma of playing with a synthetic drumstick. However, I chose to keep an open mind throughout the review process. Ahead asserts that their new innovative stick design greatly reduces shock, which we all know is an issue more in marching percussion than kit playing.

On first evaluation, I found that the Ahead stick felt pretty much like any other stick, with the exception that you had to work a bit harder to play rolls. I committed to playing with these new sticks on a pad for about 30 minutes. When I switched back to my wood sticks, I was greatly surprised to find a noticeable amount of shock that I had never realized existed. I switched back and forth several times to be certain that what I was feeling was real. And it was!

Now, I know that the “purest” in us says that a synthetic stick can never replace the bold, earthy sound of its wooden counterpart. And I agree that the sound quality of wood is very unique and spiritual but, we owe it to ourselves and our posterity to explore the possibility that a shock-reducing stick could lessen the likelihood of developing serious wrist issues in the future. The M-series comes in 3 models: M1, M2 and the M3. The only difference in these models is in the length.

Ahead also makes a grip tape that has a very comfortable feel when added to the marching stick. Very cool, but I recommend wrapping a piece of electrical tape at the top and bottom of the grip tape to assure its adhesion to the stick.

My overall analysis is that the Ahead M-Series sticks do stand up to wood and over time we will see if the Ahead shock-reducing technology reduces the amount of physical impairments. For more info on the M-Series, visit www.aheaddrumsticks.com


Gear Review

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DCI Show ListingFor more information: www.dci.org

www.dci.org

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Do you have a unique drum book, story idea or philosophy that could change life as we know it? CDI Publications and DrumPRO Magazines are looking for the best in modern drumming publications. We help artists and authors get their works our to the public. CDI’s authors are published and promoted around the world!

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HEY! Drummers & ManufacturesGot a service or a HOT product to sell?

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These positions require good organizational skills and a desire to get to know everything about the drum scene. Applicants will be interviewed by phone or in person.

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